CPM edging away from China model?

Call it a tectonic shift if you will. The comrades seem to be distancing themselves from the Chinese model of socialism, something that they once fiercely advocated.

The intense debate for a new ideological document at the CPM party congress has resulted in members criticising the Chinese model for various reasons, including rising corruption, inequality and unemployment.

Presenting the resolution on ideological issues in the closed door discussions, politburo member Sitaram Yechury spoke of the possibility of a “counter revolution” taking place in China if the country continued with the same economic policies.

The delegates, who spoke on the subject, raised many issues that they thought was plaguing the Chinese model of socialism. One of the members said the Chinese model was focused more on creating billionaires than addressing the rural-urban divide — the last 18 years seeing a 13-fold increase in the income gap.

The party is also not taking it lightly that the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) has dropped the concept of anti-imperialism from its concept at a time when that remains one of the major planks of the CPM. Delegates insisted that the party should give more importance to the indigenous models of socialism, and address the issues of caste and religion in a more effective manner.